Bolsa Chica One Night Surf Camp Day 1

OK I FINALLY got my butt back in the water..and even before I did.. I still was not feeling it. BUT once I was in.. I felt like I had just been cured of something..

Maybe the best remedy for life's woes.. is "Just Add A Little Salt Water"!

This is a two parter..It is a bit long to put in one post.

As you know I've been going through a few things. One is my upcoming unemployment. Wed. I was informed my final day is May 30th. Bitter sweet and more on that in a future post. BUT it is affecting me..and in a weird indescribable way. I have never before had a job where it ended because the job was done. Lots are sold time to move on. That along with our financial woes..that obviously my unemployment is not gonna help. Has made me a strange person lately.

So to get away from it all. Hubs and I decided we just needed to take a break. For ALL our sanity. We have an arrangement with a friend and a pop up trailer. He told us to take it out and go camping. We were gonna go up to the mountains. I would not mind. Hubs wanted to fly fish..I really for some reason was not feeling surfing. I DONT KNOW WHY??
But Hubs changed his mind and said, hey lets camp where we can surf. AND lets keep it local..

So the decision was made on Monday to book a site at Bolsa Chica. Thursday to Friday. Even if surf was not the best..(which seem to be the case) We still will just be stepping away from things and be by the Ocean.

We arrive early at Bolsa. Called ahead and Ranger at gate said more than likely if we came early we could set up if our site was not occupied or if they were not cleaning it. YEAH NOT.. camp host said 2 PM no exceptions. So we stayed in Day Use area. We went to check surf. The idea was surf for a few have lunch and then set up camp. UMMM.. well very high tide and NO real surf if any was breaking on shore. It was also gloomy and not inviting at all. IF I WAS TO GET MY BUTT BACK IN THE WATER.. I NEEDED MORE THAN THIS!..(Seriously, I don't know what was wrong with me.. usually I would be the first one in there, even just to get wet and paddle..better than being at work..I had no injuries or a previous fright that I was getting over.. i just didn't want to surf??)

So hubs shore fished and I sat and just relaxed on the beach. Then we walked from almost one end of the Beach to the other. We also planned on walking over and checking out the stranded dolphin. He has 2 names. Fred and Bolsa Chica Bob. I like the later better. WE did see him off the highway right before we entered Bolsa. But when we were walking.. we found out there is no way to cross PCH unless you go all the way to Warner, then you would have to walk back. I really thought you could cross at the park entrance..but you cant.. Hmm I don't know why??? So we tried to look at him from State Park Side.. and could not see him. He was still there but not in our view. SO no dolphin pictures.. sorry.

Then we made lunch. Hubs went back to fish some more he did catch a nice little perch. Then he released her. and I beach combed and got a few shells and beach glass to add to decorations in my home.

My friend Irma rode her bike over and found us waiting in the parking lot. We made plans to surf later if doable. I would let her know how Bolsa is..but we were thinking of heading to Blackies for maybe a sun set surf. Chatted with Irma till 2 PM when it was finally time to set up camp. I think I forgot to mention we got there a little after 9 AM.

Still..in that 5 hours...we had a nice relaxing time.

We set up the pop up trailer got camp ready. It got Fricken windy, so no surf. Hoped wind would die down. Left Bolsa and headed to Blackies for surf. All the way to Blackies the shore line was just a wind blown mess. THE waves just North of Huntington pier seemed huge but still wind blown, however there was a few die-hard surfers on them.

Get to Blackies about 3PM...which is also a wind blown mess. Only one person out there maybe a beginner. Just not worth it to go out.

So we call Irma and tell her. SHE said wind should die down about 5..and to check back at Blackies by then. So we head to hubs favorite watering hole, by his work.. and socialize with some friends I had one drink he had two. Waited for 5PM to come.

Get back to Blackies at 5 and can you guess what conditions were like?? Yep Still Windy and NO one was out there then. So as we are driving back to camp. We see all these wind/kite surfers.. I guess wind is not bad for all surfers..
I tried to get a picture of one when we got back to camp..by the time I got my blackberry and ran to the beach he was already pretty far down south. BUT here is a picture none the less. yeah that dot..was right by our camp site just minutes before.

Now back at camp decide to start dinner drink a glass of wine and chill. We made steaks on our fire pit grill. YUM.

We had a few visitors stop by. Jen and her family came to check out the little rig. Then later... My friend Laurie(who I stayed with on my birthday staycation) and her dog Otto came by. She brought her signature dish. JELLO SHOTS..

so we sat by the fire chit chatting and had beer, wine and jello shots.

Drove Laurie to the other end of the park, there it was a hop skip and jump for her to walk home. I would have drove her home but the gate closes at 9 PM.. there is a way to get in after if you need to ..but to be honost, I did not pay that close of attention when he was explaining.



So then off to bed to wake up early and pray for surf. HUBS idea was we get up at 5 AM and surf. I said we will see... I really did not see the need to get up that early.. I mean we were right at the beaches front door.